Seiji Nishimura

Seiji Nishimura (born June 9, 1956 in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan) is a distinguished Japanese karateka renowned for his mastery of Wadō‑ryū and his long‑standing influence on the sport both as a competitor and as a coach. He began his karate training at the age of fifteen, quickly demonstrating a rare blend of technical precision and strategic insight that propelled him into the national spotlight during the late 1970s. Nishimura’s competitive résumé is highlighted by a gold medal in the 70 kg kumite division at the 1982 World Karate Federation World Championship in Taipei, as well as numerous victories at the Japan National Sports Festival, the World Games, and multiple Asian‑Pacific Championships, cementing his status as one of Japan’s premier martial artists of his era. After retiring from active competition, he transitioned to coaching, taking charge of the Japanese national karate team where, over a fifteen‑year span, he cultivated a generation of champions including Manabu Takenouchi, who claimed the national kumite title under Nishimura’s guidance in 1994. His coaching philosophy emphasizes the fluidity and efficiency of the Wadō style, while he also incorporates principles from Gōjū‑ryū and Kushin‑ryū to create a comprehensive training regimen. Since 2016, Nishimura has served as senior director of the JKF Wadokai, overseeing organizational development and international outreach, and he regularly conducts seminars across Japan and Europe, notably at the annual summer camps in Ravensburg, Germany, and Neuhofen an der Krems, Austria. In addition to his responsibilities with the federation, he teaches at his own dojo and at Fukuoka University, where he continues to mentor aspiring karateka, perpetuating the legacy of his own teacher, Hironori Ōtsuka, and ensuring the continued evolution of Wadō‑ryū for future generations.